Spaceband delivery mechanism



Ja 7, 1947. J. c; PLASTARAS SPACEBAND DELIVERY MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 6, 1944 INVENTOR Jam-7, 1947. J. c. PLAsTARAS 2,413,780

- SPACEBAND DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed April 6, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY MMWA Jan. 7, 1947. J. c. PLASTARAS 2,413,780

SPACEBAND DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed April 6, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet s IN'VENTOR Patented Jan. 7, 1947 SPACEBAND DELIVERY MECHANISM James C. Plastaras, Laurelton, N. Y., assignor to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, a corporation of New York Application April 6, 1944, Serial No. 529,703

16 Claims. 1

This invention relates to typographical com posing machines, such as Linotype machines of the general organization represented in U. S. Letters Patent to O. Mergenthaler No. 436,532, wherein circulating matrices and expansible spacebands are released from separate magazines by the manipulation of a keyboard and then composed in line, the composed line-transferred to the face of a slotted mold, the mold filled with molten metal to form a slug or linotype against the matrices which produce the type characters thereon, and the matrices and spacebands thereafter elevated and returned by suitable mechanisms to the magazines from which they started.

There are two distinct types of escapement mechanism for controlling the release of the spacebands one at a time from their storage magazine. According to one type, the escapement mechanism is arrangedto cooperate with the upper ends of the spacebands, usually involving the lifting of the foremost or leading spaceband above arresting shoulders located at the discharge end of the magazine or at the entrance of the delivery chute leading from the magazine to the assembling elevator. 1 According to the other type, the escapement mechanism is arranged to cooperate with the lower ends of the spacebands, usually involving the edgewise displacement of the foremost or leading spaceband to disengage it from an arresting shoulder or abutment and allow it to swing forwardly from an inclined to a vertical position for discharge into the delivery chute.

The present invention relates more particularly to the second or bottom-release type of escapement mechanism and contemplates certain improvements therein. In the ordinary form of such escapement mechanism (see for example Armstrong Patent No. 1,108,826, dated August 25, 1914), the entire stack or column of spacebands in the magazine is subject to an objectionable twist because of the fact that the forward spaceband is supported from one side only by the arresting shoulder or abutment. Moreover, since the releasing of the foremost or leading spaceband involves an edgewise displacemnt thereof to disengage it fromsaid arresting shoulder orabutmentthe spaceband is caused to enter the delivery chutein'an off-center relation; thus interfering with proper-assembling and causing undue wear on one side of the delivery chute.

The improved escapement mechanism, provided .by the present invention, overcomes these and. other objections or defects and contains 2 other new and useful features, all of which will be set forth in the detailed description to follow.

Referring to the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a Linotype machine equipped with a spaceband delivery mechanism containing the present improvements; N

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the spaceband magazine and delivery chute;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the spaceband magazine and delivery chute shown in Fig. 2, looking from the right in that figure;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-4 of Fig. 2, showing the escapement parts in their normal position of rest;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are similar sections showing a spaceband in different stages of release and with the escapement parts in their relative positions;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 88 of Fig. 2 and looking toward the left or in the direction of the arrows in that figure;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the four different major parts of the escapement mechanism in their different relative positions of rest and in relation to a spaceband shown in dotted lines.

In Fig. 1' a line of matrices X and expansible spacebands Y is shown as having been composed bythe manipulation of the keyboard A in the assembling elevator B and ready for transfer by the line delivery carriage C to the casting mechanism. In the course of composition, the matrices X, as they are released from their storage magazine (not shown), pass through the channeled raceway or entrance D onto the inclined conveyor belt E and are discharged in front of the star wheel F which advances them into the assembling elevator. The spacebands Y are stored'in the magazine G and, when released, pass into the vertical chute H which delivers them into the assembling elevator just in front of the star wheel F. These parts and. their mode of operation are too Well known to merit further description.

The spaceband magazine G is also of well known construction, consisting of front and back walls G and G which provide between them a 3 In traveling through the storage magazine, the spacebands are supported primarily by their upper projecting ears Y which slide along inclined guide rails G and G formed on the front and rear walls G and G respectively, although the lower ends of the spacebands are permitted to touch and slide along the bottom wall or floor G of the magazine, it being understood, of course, that the spacebands at this time are in repose or in unexpanded condition. It may also be noted (see Fig, 2) that the spacebands occupy a forwardly inclined position in the storage magazine, the foremost or leading spaceband, while suspended by its upper projecting ears on the guide rails, resting at its extreme upper end against the cover plate H of the delivery chute. While maintained in this inclined position, the spaceband cannot enter the delivery chute H,

. but when the spaceband is allowed to swing forwadly about its upper projecting ears as a fulcrum into a vertical position, the upper ears become alined with the vertical grooves H forming the upper entrance of the chute, and the spaceband is then free to fall through the chute into the assembling elevator.

Coming now to the present invention, the improved escapement mechanism comprises four major parts, namely, two fixed stops or abutments 5 and 2 located, respectively, on the back and front walls of the spaceband magazine, and two reciprocable cylindrical pawls or pins 3 and i mounted, respectively, in the back and front walls of the spaceband magazine, all of these parts being located near the lower end of the foremost or leading spaceband in the magazine. In their normal position of rest, the pawls 3 and i occupy the position shown in Figs. 4 and '7, the pawl 3 being located in a retracted position out of the path of the spacebands, and the pawl 4 being located in a projected position in the path of the spacebands and, in fact, in position to contact and give support to the spaceband at its forward edge. In this position of the pawls, the fixed stop i also contacts with and gives support to the foremost spaceband at its rear edge, the L spaceband-contacting face of the stop i being in the same plane as the spaceband-contacting face of the pawl l. Hence it will be seen that, due to this dual support of the foremost spaceband at its opposite edges, there can be no twisting or turning of the spacebands in the magazine, such as has heretofore been possible because of the support of the foremost spaceband at its rear edge only.

In releasing the foremost spaceband, the front pawl 4 is retracted from the magazine channel and out of the spaceband path (see Fig. 5) and, at the same time, the rear pawl 3 is projected into the magazine channel and into the spaceband path, the pawl 3 in its forward movement being caused, by virtue of its overlapping relation to the fixed stop I, to engage the rear edge of the foremost spaceband and displace the spaceband edgewise forwardly until it is clear of the stopl. In this connection, it is pointed out that the pawl 3 is formed at its inner end with a rectangular recess 3 to clear the following spaceband while aifording a wide contacting surface for the leading spaceba-nd.

To permit such edgewise displacement of the foremost spaceband and its subsequent sidewise swinging, the front wall G .of the spaceband magazine 'is cut away or recessed, as at 5, in the vicinity of the lower end of the spaceband, this recess starting from a point located only so far in advance of the foremost spaceband as to allow room for the edgewise displacement of that spaceband alone. In other words, the distance between the plane of the shoulder 6, representing the start of the recess, and the plane of the spaceband-contacting faces of the pawl 4 and fixed stop is less than the combined thickness of two of the thinnest spacebands but greater than the thickness of onealone of the thickest spacebands.

After the foremost spaceband has been displaced edgewise in the manner depicted in Fig. 5, and due to a pause in the operation of the pawls 3 and t (which remain in the same positions shown Fig. 5), the spaceband is free to swing sidewise at its lower end by gravity in the direction of the delivery chute I-I, being guided at its forward edge by the bottom wall of the recess 5 and at its rear edge by the straight endface of the pawl 3. Such sidewise swinging of the spaceband is intercepted by the second fixed stop 2 located well in advance of the fixed stop i (see Fig. 6). In the meantime, the spacebands in the magazine are allowed to advance until the next following spaceband is arrested by the pawl 3, making contact with the flat bottom face of the clearance recess 3*.

In effecting the final release of the leading spaceband, the pawls 3 and 4 are operated .in the reverse direction or restored to their original positions of rest, as depicted in Fig. 7. That is to say, as the rear pawl 3 is retracted from the magazine channel, the front pawl 4 is projected back into the magazine channel, being caused by this return stroke to engage the foremost spaceband at its forward edge and displace it edgewise .rearwardly to disengage it from the second fixed stop 2. It may be noted that the pawl t is formed at its rear end with a fiat-faced recess 4 to delay its engagement with the spaceband until the rear awl 3 has broken contact therewith and, moreover, that it (the pawl 4) is formed with a beveled lip 4 adapted to engage behind the spaceband and advance ity in the direction of the stop 2 in case it is not at the timein contact with the stop. Once it is disengaged from the fixed stop 2, the foremost spaceband is free to swing sidewise at its lower end by gravity until it assumes a vertical position, when it is fully released and free to pass into the chute H for delivery to the assembling elevator (see dotted lines in Fig. '7) It is pointed. out that, due to the second or rear edgewise displacement of the foremost spaceband, it is restored to a central posi tion in relation to the chute before .it enters the chute and hence the danger of jamming or undue wear at one side of the chute, such as have characterized prior devices, is entirely obviated.

The retraction of the rear pawl 3 from the magazine channel allows the following spaceband (which now becomes the leading one) to advance until it is arrested by the fixed stop I at its rear edge and the now projected pawl 4 at its forward edge, it being understood that the pawl 4 willhave reached its arresting position before the rear pawl has fully released said spaceband. One cycle of operation having been completed, the pawls 3 and 4 come to rest in their original positions, as shown in Fig. 4, .and are now ready to be operated a second time in effecting the release of the next spaceband.

The pawls -3 and 4 are voperated in proper synchronism by means .of a fore-.and-aft slide 1 supported in suitable guideways -8 at the lower end of the spaceband magazine. The slide 1' is formed at its rear and front ends, respectively, with integral upwardly curved arms or tongues 9 and I fitted in cross grooves 3 and. 4* cut into the pawls 3 and 4. A spring plunger H, housed within the bottom wall of the spaceband magazine, acts to hold the slide 1 yieldingly in its rearward position with the pawls 3 and 4 at rest, as shown in Fig. 4, this rearward posit-ion of the slide being determined by an adjustable set screw I2 carried by the front slide-arm I0 and banking against the front wall G of the spaceband magazine. The forward movement of the slide 1. in opposition to the spring plunger I I, is effected by means of an arm I3 depending from a rocking bail I4 mounted by a hinge pin I5 on a bracket I6 attached to the rear wall G of the spaceband magazine. By depressing the bail I4, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, the slide '5 will be moved to its forward position, as shown in Fig. 5, this forward position being determined by an adjustable set screw I'I carried by the rear slidearm 9 and banking against the rear wall G2 of the spaceband magazine.

The rocking of the bail I4 is effected through the medium of the usual power-driven one rotation cam set into operation by the actuation of the spaceband release key A this cam, at each cycle of operation, acting on the bail I4 through the usual centrally pivoted lever I8 (see Figs. 1 to 4). A set screw I9, carried by the lever I8, makes contact with the bail I4 and provides for the necessary adjustment.

It will now be seen that, when the operator strikes the spaceband key A thus initiating the power cycle for releasing a spaceband from the magazine G, the escapement slide I is pushed forward to move the pawls 3 and 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5 and after a momentary hesitation, due to the configuration of the cam, the slide is pushed rearwardly to restore the pawls to their original position of rest as shown in Fig. 4, the release of the foremost or leading spaceband being effected in two stages as before described.

Since there may be a considerable variation in thickness as between spacebands of different sets, provision has been made for adjusting the position of the shoulder 6 toward and from the plane of the spaceband contacting faces of the fixed stop I and the pawl 4. To this end, the shoulder 6 is formed on a separate piece of the front wall G of the spaceband magazine, this separate piece being in the form of a U-shaped strap 20 held in place by means of a, clamping screw 2I which engages in a key slot formed in the front face of a cross member of the magazine wall (see Figs. 2 and 4). However, with the improved escapement mechanism above described, there will seldom be need for adjustment of the shoulder 6, due to the fact that the foremost spaceband is supported at both its front and rear edges and hence is not subject to turning or twisting. As a result, it is possible, under one setting of the shoulder 6, to accommodate spacebands of any thickness within the range in normal use (.090" to .160). The aforementioned floor plate G of the spaceband magazine is so designed that it may be hard plated for wear and highly polished for reducing friction. Moreover, it is mounted for vertical adjustment, by means of a clamping screw G to compensate for any slight manufacturing variations in spaceband length.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention form and arrangement of the parts may be made and still be comprised within the spirit of the invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or arrangement except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what i claim is:

1. In a spaceband delivery mechanism wherein the spacebands are guided by their upper projecting ears through a channeled storage magazine into a delivery chute, an escapement mechanism cooperating with the lower ends of the spacebands and controlling their passage one at a time into the chute, said escapement mechanism including, in combination, an abutment against which the foremost spaceband normally rests, means for displacing said spaceband edgewise in one direction to disengage it from said abutment and allow it to swing sidewise in the direction of the chute, a second abutment to intercept such swinging movement of the spaceband, and means for displacing the spaceband edgewise in the opposite direction to disengage it from the second abutment and allow it to partake of a further sidewise swinging movement in the direction of the chute, in effecting the final release of the spaceband into the chute.

2. A spaceband escapement mechanism according to claim 1 and wherein the two spaceband displacing means are operated in proper synchronism in effecting the release of the individual spacebands.

3. A spaceband escapement mechanism according to claim 1 including, as an additional element, means for preventing the edgewise displacement of the following spaceband as the foremost spaceband is disengaged from the first abutment.

4. A spaceband escapement mechanism according to claim 1 and wherein the two abutments are arranged at the opposite edges of the foremost spaceband.

5. A spaceband escapement mechanism according to claim 1 and wherein the first-mentioned spaceband displacing means acts to hold back the following spaceband until the foremost spaceband has been disengaged from the second abutment.

6. A spaceband escapement mechanism according to claim 1 and wherein the second-mentioned spaceband displacing means serves as a further abutment for the foremost spaceband when the parts are in their normal position of rest.

7. In a spaceband delivery mechanism wherein the spacebands are guided by their upper projecting ears through a channeled storage magazine into a delivery chute, an escapement mechanism cooperating with the lower ends of the spacebands and controlling their passage one at a time into the chute, said escapement mechanism including, in combination, a fixed stop arranged at one edge of the foremost spaceband and against which said spaceband normally rests, a reciprocable pawl for displacing the spaceband edgewise in one direction to disengage it from said stop and allow it to swing sidewise in the direction of the chute, a second fixed stop arranged at the opposite edge of the foremost spaceband and adapted to intercept such swinging movement thereof, and a second reciprocable pawl for displacing the spaceband edgewise in the opposite direction to disengage it from the second stop and allow it to partake of a further sidewise swinging movement in the direction of the chute, in effect ing the final release of the spaceband into the chute.

8. A spaceband escapement mechanism according to claim '7 and wherein the two reciprocable pawls are operated in proper synchronism in effecting the release of the individual spacebands.

9. A spaceband escapement mechanism according to claim 1 and including, as an additional element, a common actuating slide connected to the two reciprocable pawls and whereby they are operated in unison and in proper synchronism.

10. A spaceband escapement mechanism according to claim 7, and wherein the first reciprocable pawl in its normal position of rest is located out of the magazine channel, said pawl as it moves into the channel acting to effect the aforesaid edgewise displacement of the foremost spaceband and at the same time to serve as a temporary abutment to hold back the following spaceband, and said pawl as it moves out out of the magazine channel in completing its reciprocation acting to release the following spaceband and allow it to advance into contact with the first fixed stop.

11. A spaceloand escapement mechanism according to claim '7, and wherein the first reeiprocahle pawl is formed in its spaceband engaging end with a recess to clear the following spaceband as it efiects the aforesaid edgewise displacement of the foremost spaceband.

12. A spaceband escapement mechanism according to claim 7, and wherein the second reciprocable pawl in its normal position of rest is located in the magazine channel to serve as a temporary abutment against which the foremost spaceband rests at its edge opposite from the first fixed stop, said pawl as it moves out of the channel releasing the foremost spaceband to allow it to swing sidewise in the direction of the chute after being disengaged from the first fixed stop, and said pawl as it moves back into the magazine channel in completing its reciprocation acting to effect the aforesaid edgewise displacement of the foremost spaceband to disengage it from the second fixed stop.

13. A spaceband escapement mechanism according to claim 7, and wherein the second reciprocable pawl is formed in its spaceband engaging end with a recess to delay its engagement with said spaceband as it is moved into the magazine channel.

14. A spaceband escapement mechanism according to claim 7, and wherein the second pawl is formed on its spaceband engaging end with a beveled lip to engage behind the foremost spaceband as the pawl enters the magazine channel in eifecting the edgewise displacement of said spaceband to disengage it from the second fixed stop.

15. In a spaceband delivery mechanism wherein the spacebands are guided by their upper projecting ears through a channeled storage magazine into a delivery chute, an escapement mechanism cooperating with the lower ends of the spacebands and controlling their passage one at a time into the chute, said escapement mechanism including, in combination, two fixed stops arranged to be engaged successively by the foremost spaceband at its opposite edges, and two reciprccable pawls arranged to engage the foremost spaceband at its opposite edges and displace it edgewise in opposite directions to disengage it successively from the two fixed stops.

it. A spaceband escapement mechanism according to claim 15 and wherein the pawl which disengages the foremost spaceband from the second fixed stop normally acts as a temporary abutment against which said spaceband rests at the edge opposite from the first fixed stop.

JAMES C. PLASTARAS. 

